My name is Uchiha Renji.
Originally, I was just an ordinary high school student, but somehow, without warning, I ended up in the world of Naruto. And not only that—I was reborn into the Uchiha clan.
Unlucky me, the first person I laid eyes on after being reborn was none other than Uchiha Sasuke, who looked about my age.
And right now, at this very moment, I'm lying in ambush.My target? Uchiha Itachi.Yeah, that Itachi—the genius of the clan, infamous later as the ultimate "big brother complex" prodigy.
Why on earth am I ambushing him? Well… that's the fault of the so-called "golden finger" I brought with me.
Most people who transmigrate into other worlds get stacked with all kinds of buffs: overpowering abilities, game-breaking skills, maybe even a Nine-Tails chakra mode starter pack. But me? I got saddled with a damn system. And not even a generous one. This one makes me complete missions before giving me anything.
And guess what my first mission was? Absolute hell.
Ding. Congratulations, host, on successfully refining chakra. Main quest automatically initiated: Ambush Uchiha Itachi. Rewards will be granted based on performance. Time limit: 3 days. Failure will result in erasure.
I almost spat blood when I saw it."You've got to be kidding me, system! That's Itachi! Sure, he's not fully grown yet, but he's still Itachi! You're trying to get me killed, aren't you? Can't we… maybe switch this mission?"
Confirmed. Mission may be altered: Ambush the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Wait—no, no, no! You win, I'll take Itachi! Are you happy now?!"
What kind of cosmic joke was that? Ambushing the Third Hokage? Please. Even if I chucked a kunai from eight hundred meters away, ANBU would skewer me before it hit the ground. Best case, I'd end up in Ibiki's torture chamber "having tea." No thank you.
The only silver lining in all this is that, being an Uchiha, I at least have easy access to ninja tools. Without those, I doubt I'd even get close enough to see Itachi's face, let alone ambush him.
Training Ground Seven.
This was one of the Uchiha clan's private training fields. And, conveniently, it was also one of Itachi's usual haunts whenever he wasn't busy. The area was thick with trees, perfect for setting up an ambush.
But let's be real—this was Uchiha Itachi. The legendary prodigy. Did I have even a single shred of confidence? Of course not.
I forced myself to calm down, swallowing my nerves. And then, right on cue, Itachi stepped into view.
My heart raced. I triggered the trap.
A dozen kunai shot out at once, arcing toward him from every direction.
At the time, Itachi was technically only a genin. But his true ability was already on the level of a chunin. With a simple leap, he avoided the barrage effortlessly.
But before he could land—bam!—a wooden log shot out from the side, catching him midair. With no footing to dodge, Itachi actually got smacked and went flying.
"…Wait… did… did I just succeed?"
I stared wide-eyed. Had I really just taken down Itachi? Was this even the Naruto world I thought it was? Or was this just some knockoff, with a cheap Itachi lookalike?
I was still reeling when I suddenly felt a presence behind me.
Before I could react, a cold kunai pressed against my throat. The faintest twitch, and my head would be rolling.
I froze. "I-Itachi-senpai, I swear I meant no harm! It was just a prank, honest!"
Of course, who was I kidding? I wasn't even a proper ninja yet. If I could really escape Itachi's grasp, his entire reputation would be a lie.
Itachi said nothing. Silent. Expression unreadable. The blade didn't budge an inch.
"…Fine, fine! The truth is—I heard from my parents that you're the clan's genius. I just wanted to challenge you. I knew I couldn't face you directly, so… I set this little trap."
Only then did Itachi lower his kunai. Whether he actually believed me or not… only he knew.
He turned to leave.
That was when I slipped a prepped explosive tag from my sleeve, ready to hurl it at his back.
But at that exact moment—Itachi glanced back.
His Sharingan flared.
And for the first time in my life, I experienced what it felt like to have death itself crawl over me. My whole body locked up, trembling uncontrollably.
And worst of all—I still had the damn explosive tag in my hand.
In the manga, explosive tags are trash-tier consumables. But to me—a four-year-old kid—this was practically a weapon of mass destruction.
The tag lit. The fuse burned. My eyes widened in despair.
Was I really about to become the first transmigrator in history to literally blow himself up?
I shut my eyes, ready for the end.
But the explosion never came.
Instead, I felt someone tackle me to the ground. The tag was ripped from my hand and flung away.
A burst of smoke erupted in the distance with a sharp bang.
When I dared to open my eyes, Itachi was standing over me, alive and unharmed. The blast had only dispelled a clone.
"…A shadow clone?" I muttered faintly. That was the last thought I managed before everything went black.
Unconscious, I still heard the system's voice in my head.
Ding. Main quest completed. Mission rating: C. Rewards: Shurikenjutsu, five kunai.
Deeper inside Training Ground Seven, the real Itachi was speaking with Shisui when he suddenly paused, turning his head.
"What is it, Itachi?" Shisui asked.
"One of the clan's kids tried to ambush one of my clones. Nearly got himself killed. I'd better check."
Shisui smirked. "Ambushed you? Sounds like an interesting little brat."
When I woke again, I was back in my own room. Familiar walls, familiar ceiling. Relief washed over me… until I remembered the disaster earlier.
'So all that planning, and I only managed to ambush a clone… and somehow still almost killed myself. No wonder—it's Itachi. Even as a kid, he's on another level entirely.'
I checked myself over—no injuries. Good.
Then I pulled up the system interface.
Uchiha Renji (Transmigrator)
Ninjutsu: 5
Taijutsu: 3
Genjutsu: 4
Intelligence: 4
Strength: 3
Speed: 2
Chakra: 5
Hand Seals: 6
I stared at my miserable stats, at a loss for words. Four years in this world, and the only progress I'd made was in chakra and hand seals. Everything else was abysmal.
I glanced at the task log. I was certain the Itachi mission had failed—but to my shock, it was highlighted green. Completed.
"What the hell? I didn't even touch him! How does that count as success?"
The mission had clearly required me to "injure Uchiha Itachi." A shadow clone didn't count, right? Even if I destroyed one, that was hardly the same as hurting the real deal.
"System, explain. How is this a completed mission? Blowing up a shadow clone doesn't count as hurting him!"
Shadow clones transmit their experiences and fatigue back to the original. Destroying one results in feedback to the user, which qualifies as inflicting damage.
"…System… I swear to—why didn't you tell me that when you gave me the mission?!"
One: I don't have a grandfather. Two: You never asked.
"…"
I wanted to cry.
This system really was out to kill me.